The first Sprint Cup points race with the new 2013 racecars, ones whose bodies more resemble the passenger cars they’re designed to represent, was a different type of Daytona 500.

With small spoilers that impacted handling by creating less downforce and curved front bumpers that didn’t allow them to push-draft, the drivers found that the top line was often the best line.

The rules package still created an exciting finish, thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr. trying to make a move on the final lap.

It was a move that got him to second.

What we learned from Jimmie Johnson’s victory Sunday in the Daytona 500:

Make some tweaks

NASCAR might want to make some tweaks to the package in hopes that the bottom lane could be used more than it was Sunday.

But there might not need to be changes.

Jimmie Johnson was able to make it to the front with the inside lane while Brad Keselowski and others couldn’t make it work at all.

“The Chevys had incredible strength the whole weekend and he put himself in a position to capitalize off that,” said Keselowski, who drives a Ford. “We can keep doing work on it and probably can get rid of that single-file racing.

Earnhardt, who made a move late to the inside but stalled out as it was just him and Mark Martin in the low lane, believes that if the track surface wears, it could add to the quality of racing. The Daytona International Speedway track was repaved prior to the 2011 season.

“The package is really good,” Earnhardt said. “The surface is still relatively new, which provides tons of grip. If we had the old surface with this car, it would have been an incredible race, people sliding around, wearing tires out, just trying to dig as hard as they could.

“We'll get to that as the track ages. I'd hate to see them messing with the car to get a better package.”

In the end, it could just be a driver’s mentality to drive in a line, although that meant having to calculate when to make a move, as passing wasn’t easy.

“We don’t race for the win at the 200-mile mark. It’s just the bottom line of it,” said Ryan Newman, who finished fifth. “We’ve gotten smarter as drivers because of the situations we’ve been put in.

“That is the way we are going to be—as smart as we can be. Not everybody is as smart.”

Mark Martin glad to finish

Mark Martin enjoyed the two-car tandem drafting because he felt he could control his own destiny, even if that meant being paired up with another driver. At least he could make a pass by just relying on one driver and not five or six as part of a draft.

Actually, to say Martin enjoys anything about restrictor-plate racing is a little bit of a stretch.

He has walked out of infield care centers too many times and seen too many accidents to enjoy it.

So the Daytona 500 was his first and last restrictor-plate points race for 2013. As part of his 26-race schedule (which includes both non-points events), Martin will skip both Talladega races and the July race at Daytona.

“Sometimes you have them (last-lap big wrecks) and sometimes you don't,” Martin said after his third-place finish. “There was plenty of recipe to have a big one there at the end, we just didn't.

“Next time (here), they probably will in July. And I'll be on the couch.”

Toyota frustration

Toyota teams didn’t have a good day thanks to several Toyota Racing Development engines going haywire during the race.

Matt Kenseth, who led 86 laps, was knocked out with a drive-train issue after 149 laps. Kyle Busch had his motor let go two laps later.

Martin Truex Jr. and Michael Waltrip both had sour engines by the end of the race.

Because of the rules for restrictor-plate racing, don’t take this as a sign that Toyota isn’t ready for the 2013 season.

It’s a sign that it has some work to do before the cars get to Talladega in May.

The hardest part won’t be fixing the problem. It could be keeping the Joe Gibbs Racing teams motivated and upbeat after such a devastating day where they had strong cars and crummy results.

“There's pieces that are supposed to stay together and they didn't stay together,” said Busch, who missed the Chase for the Sprint Cup at least in part because of engine issues at three races last summer.

“I hate it for this whole team. They do a great job and work too hard, and it sounds a lot like 2012 already."